Home - 2026 AAAR Annual Conference

Dear Colleagues,

On behalf of the Conference and Technical Program Committees, it is my great pleasure to invite you to the 44th AAAR Annual Conference. The conference is scheduled for October 26-30, 2026, at the Pasadena Convention Center in beautiful Pasadena, California.

Every year the AAAR annual conference provides us with an opportunity to showcase our latest research in aerosol science and technology and to connect with friends and colleagues throughout the event.

This year we have an exciting and diverse array of Plenary Lectures, Special Symposia, Poster Sessions, Oral Platform Sessions, Tutorials, and Special Events that will take place from Monday through Friday. Our Tutorial Chairs, Manish Shrivastava and Alex Huffman, have curated a collection of 18 Tutorials covering a diverse range of aerosol science topics that will take place on Monday. Note that this year, tutorials are scheduled to start at 10 am PT and will last until 6 pm PT. The mornings of Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday will kick off the conference with 8 am Plenary Lectures while the Friday Plenary Lecture closes the conference. Our outstanding Plenary Speakers this year are Dr. Jordan Peccia (Yale), Dr. Richard Flagan (California Institute of Technology), Dr. Rodney Weber (Georgia Institute of Technology), and Dr. Jenny Hand (Colorado State University).

The technical program will showcase parallel Platform and Poster Sessions thoughtfully curated by our 22 Working Group Chairs and Vice Chairs. We are organizing 5 Special Symposia aimed at fostering cross-disciplinary interaction and bridging multiple research areas. These sessions will focus on the following topics:

Honoring Prof. Benjamin Liu and his Contributions to Aerosol Science (Chairs: Suresh Dhaniyala, David Pui, Francisco Romay)
Dust in Earth and Celestial Systems: Sources, Sinks, Characteristics, Environmental and Climatic Impacts (Chairs: Karin Ardon-Dryer, Marit Meyer, Hans Moosmuller)
Interplay Between Aerosol Thermodynamics and Aging (Chairs: Christopher Hennigan, Sarah Petters)
The Breath of Fire: Aerosol, Health, and Protection in the Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) (Chairs: Lea Hilderbrandt Ruiz, Aika Davis)
The Up-Goer Five Challenge: Making Big Aerosol Ideas Simpler (Chair: Samuel Kaufmann)

Jessica Tryner and Claire Fortenberry from the Education Committee are organizing the two Student Presentation Competitions this year, featuring both Poster and Oral Platform Competitions. We hope many of you will consider volunteering to be Judges for both competitions when registration opens. We look forward to your participation in supporting the next generation of scholars!

New this year, we are organizing a traditional Career Fair with industry and Research Lab partners on Monday night to promote interactions between job seekers and potential employers. If you’re looking for opportunities in industry or research labs, please come prepared with copies of your CV!

The Exhibit Hall, accessible from Tuesday to Thursday, offers a chance to engage with and learn from leading companies providing instrumentation and services in aerosol science and technology. We will once again host the Exhibitor and Instrument Application Showcase, aka ‘Scientists doing Experiments drinking Coffee’ featuring a platform session area within the Exhibit Hall. This provides opportunities for practical education and exchange, focusing on real measurement applications and challenges. It's an enjoyable and educational means to encourage interaction between exhibitors and attendees.

The Exhibit Hall will also host our Welcome Reception and the Meet the Job Seekers Poster Session on Tuesday evening. This session allows job seekers to present their background and expertise to potential employers in academia, government, and industry, and provides employers with the opportunity to meet job seekers. We will also have a new opportunity for Student Chapters to present posters during this Session to help increase engagement with the AAAR Community.

As in previous years, we are planning several fun activities throughout the week, including Geeks Who Drink Trivia on Monday night, Fine Particle Art and Video Competition, LGBTQIA+ gathering, and a variety of other events. We are also planning for a simultaneously entertaining and educational tour on Friday afternoon to a unique site in the area. Stay tuned for more details as the schedule firms up.

There will be opportunities for Travel Grants (for US and International participants), Student Assistants, and Social Media Ambassadors. The Calls for Travel Grant, Student Assistant, and Social Media Ambassador Applications are anticipated to open in June, following the abstract submission deadline.

We look forward to welcoming you in October to the 44th Annual Conference of the American Association for Aerosol Research!

Sincerely,